I learned along time ago. God’s greatest revelations for your life don’t come from sermons, but personal time with Him. Since rededicating my life to Christ, I’ve always appreciated sound, relevant teaching. I’m a pastor. I sure do hope I appreciate messages (duh)! As a spiritual thirsty, deer panting college student, I took notes in church EVERY Sunday! I learned some great stuff from my pastors and teachers. One day, I was going through my stash of church bulletins with notes and compared them to the ones in my journal. The things that God whispered to me in my times with Him won hands down! My conviction stands even to this day! The messages I prepare every Sunday pales in comparison to the things God reveal to me for my personal life. As preachers, we have the amazing opportunity of turning some of those priceless revelations into life changing messages. But there’s nothing like the raw, uncut, undiluted, hardcore, unedited insights that we scribbled down during those moments with him.
Take it from the one who’s been on both sides of the fence (the preacher and the seeker). Keep on valuing the messages God speaks to you from spiritual authority. But there’s no substitute for ancient, old-school, raw, prostrate laying, before His throne moments with God. Any trade off for those moments is a bad one.
